Improvement in life-preservers



T. B ECK.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

N0.174,655. Patented March 14, 1876.

' NJUERS. PNOTO-LITMOGRAPNER. IWASMNG'TON, D C.

" rrnn STATES PATENT O FICE.

TRAUGOTT BECK, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIFE-PRESERVERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,655, dated March 14, 1876; application filed June 16, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRAUGOTT BEoK, or Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Life-Saving, the construction of which is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

\ The object of my invention is to guard against the dangers of the sea in a way that would give all necessary comfort possible, by a vessel, A A O 0, large enough to hold the upper part of a person, (all but the legs,) as shown in Figs. 1 and II, of the accompanying drawings, this vessel being made of sail-cloth, or other suitable material, saturated by some water-proof substance, and kept apart and in shape by a strong frame, as shown in Fig. 11, and consists of two rings or hoops, A A and G (J, connected by two joints, A B O-andA B (3.

Thus, ifa cylinder of sail-cloth, of the same length as the joints A B 0, is fastened to the rings A A and O 0, Fig. 'II, and the joints are straightened, as shown in Fig. I, the cloth will also be stiff, and will form a vessel with a piece of cloth stretched and fastened across and to the ring (J (J.

This piece of cloth, having two holes or about eight inches diameter, will let the legs go through into waterproof pants and boots, and will enable a person to walk while inside of the vessel.

The top of the vessel may be closed by a a, Fig. II, and secured by the passenger inside, thus keeping out the water, while a small pipe and window will supply air and light, as shown in Figs. I and III.

.An air-chamber, D D, connected with the vessel about the water-line, would secure a vertical position; but the air having escaped from the chamber D -D, and an air-pillow, c, Fig. I, being laid around the lower part of each leg and inflated, would change the position to a horizontal one, in which, by the motion of the legs, a considerable speed could be gained.

I Narrow bands of metal, marked F on the drawings, cover the vessel from the water-line downward; and the legs to a metal'cover of the boots would, it is supposed, guard against fish and greatly protect a person in landing on a dangerous shore, Without adding materially to the weight of the vessel or to its size when folded up, as one band will always go inside of the one above it.

' Enough food and water for a month can be 1 placed inside the vessel, or a water-bag may be attached to the outside with a pipe leadin g in.

It will be evident that the vessel or frame might have any other shape, without materially differing from the principale of my invention: The stretching of the frame by means of the rings and braces is the prominent featurein the inven tion. Together, they make a vessel or house, wall-sided, in which the occupant may live free from damage or pressure by the collapsing of the sides, which would be a constant liability without these or similar fixtures. I claim as my invention- 1. The vessel A, put in form for use by means of the rings A and O, and connecting joint-braces B, substantially as shown, and

TRAUGOTT BECK. I

Witnesses O. VATTI, F1). FAUST. 

